|
Varahein sat in the old wooden throne in the Edhevrand Castle. It had been a very long time since he actually felt like leaving the chair. At least two weeks he had spent here. He took his meals at the throne, sent his missives from the throne, even slept in the throne. He had been here since he returned from the construction of Castle Draenic. The castle hasn't been completed yet, but he had passed command over to his son Anthrail. During the construction, a wall had been put up improperly and a section of bricks fell onto his leg. The physicians had patched it up and rushed him back to Edhevrand, where the countries best doctor had looked at it, but it has been stiff even after it healed completely.
============================================
But thats not the only reason he sits. A few days after he regained the ability to walk, he found himself standing on the wall of Edhevrand looking down upon the residential area. It was nearing dusk, and he was watching. Several of his internal operatives had brought him word that the doctors were running very short on transfusion blood, which made no sense since blood donations amoung nearly all bloodlines had been up for the past several months. Somewhere between the donation clinics and the doctors the blood was going missing. Which was very worrying. Pyrencian blood contains a potent parasite which has a very difficult time bonding. There are many different variations of the parasite, that persist in various bloodlines, one tied to each of the Pyrencian gods. It has several physiological effects on the Pyrencians, it gives them different appearances and slight edges in different fields and skills depending on the bloodline, i.e. the bloodline tied to Sera, goddess of war, often produces people with above average tactical insight or reflexes and such, and Teares, god of strength produces descendants with more potential for muscle capacity. However, it also drastically reduces the lifespan. Most pyrencians are either technically human or elves, though as far as we can tell it can bond to any race, however, most pyrencians can only hope to live to 30-40 years old at which point they are often the equivalent of a 90-100 year old human. Often the descendants of Azarn, otherwise known as the royal family, can live maybe another 10 years, but that is the extent.
People who are not directly descended from a pyrencian can by "made" into a pyrencian, but the process is both complicated and dangerous. Many of the non-pyrencian citizens of pyrencia are convinced that all it takes is several infusions and drainings until you are left with more pyrencian blood then human or elven or whatever you were previously, but that is not the case. It is a very complicated ritual involving several alchemical substances and potions administered in specific orders and different ones for each bloodline, and the only people who know how to do it are the high priests of the gods. Each one only knows how to perform the ritual for their own bloodline, i.e. the high priest of Zerna only knows how to properly bond the variant of the parasite attributed to be Zerna's. The method to give someone the blood of Azarn has been lost to time, but all of the others remain active. As well as one.. out of the ordinary bloodline. If the blood is improperly administered it causes terrible debilitating effects upon the recipient, such as blindness, paralysis, comas, but most often, death. Those that survive both the death and the crippling physical effects universally go insane. These are known as Kif'Do'Threnai, or "The Fallen" Most function in the same way zombified people do, with rotting flesh and a desire to kill.
"I wonder where the blood is going." Varahein mused to himself. Ever since his grandfather had implemented strict regulations on the transfusion of pyrencian blood, following a large influx of immigration of other races to the southern nation, there had been a thriving black market for the dangerous substance. Rather then trying to stamp it out completely, which would be nearly impossible, he had placed agent in the black market, to steer it to make sure that it was only sold to people of the correct type, and never to non-pyrencians. Anyone who didn't fall in line was quickly ratted out to the actual military force and swiftly dealt with, and so far it had worked relatively well. But no one in the black market division of Varahein's intelligence corps had any idea where it was going, and all of them claimed none of the underground organizations they were involved with knew anything about it either, in fact, they were also running short.
Then he saw something. A shadowy movement behind some houses. And then he heard a shout. He knew that voice. It was the voice of his first born son, Dralion. Varahein tried to vault over the battlements onto the flat roofs, something he had done countless times in the past, but his leg gave out. He found himself falling towards the paved ground, and then his head cracked against a wrought iron lantern post jutting out from a wall, and everything went black.
When he woke, he was surrounded by guards, and his son and Anthrail and daughter Celia and his sister Anastasia where all there as well. Varahein's wife Zelanna was sitting next to the bed, holding his hand. They were all tear streaked and subdued, which was especially unusual for Celia. As Varahein struggled to sit up, Zelanna placed her hand on his chest, "No, you should remain laying down."
"W.. What happened to Dralion." Varahein struggled out, his mind still foggy with the pain of his head wound.
"Varahein, Dralion was murdered." said Anastasia, who was always a blunt type of person.
"By who." Varahein replied, whos anger was cold and focused, unlike the red hot rage his brother Nathaniel was known for.
"Whoever was stealing the blood. They drained him dry. But dont worry Varahein," Said Anastasia with a feral grimace, "Nathaniel went after them."
"Good." replied Varahein after a few minutes, before the pain lapsed him back into unconsciousness.
Two days later Varahein stood with his brother Nathaniel in front of a burning building a few hours ride outside of Edhevrand. Varahein was leaning on a crutch and holding a flint. Nathaniel stared at him. "Did you really have to burn it down. I mean, I was going to, but thats like, my thing."
"They killed my son Nathaniel, I think im entitled to a little blind rage every once in a while."
"Of course, but, you weren't in a blind rage. I watched you. You didn't shake. you didn't blink. You knew exactly what you were doing. Trust me, I know blind rage, and thats not what you did."
"Yes, well, thats MY thing."
"Fair enough. Do you want to hear what we found before you showed up?"
"I heard some from Felaron on my way here, but yes, tell me what you found." said Varahein as he turned and hobbled away from the immolating three story building.
"Well, as it turns out, your intelligence was correct, they weren't involved with any of the known black market dealers. Something else though, they didn't sell any of it here. Or even in Pyrencia. They shipped it OUT of Pyrencia. I found records listing recipients in Perth, Valtoros, Wysteria, Kaine, Ertia, even in the Imperial Isle itself. Its hard to say whether these are real buyers or proxy underground merchants, it just gives us rough destinations, no names of people or specific locations."
"The only ones of those with any decent amount of Pyrencians is Kaine and our few workers still left in the Imperial Isle manning the bank."
"I know. I have no idea what they are doing with the blood. But there are records of each bloodline, even Azarn, since... earlier this week. But still not Absalom, which though small consolation, is still a small silver lining."
"Very well. Round up members of the Vel'thrank Ceran and send them to each of these locations. I want all of this blood brought back. Especially my sons."
"Yes my lord, it will be done at once." Nathaniel replied, and then mounted his horse and tore off back to Edhevrand.
============================================
Zelanna walked into the throne room. It pained her to see her husband this torn up. He had been a solemn sort ever since the brutal suicide of his father, but he had always still had that spark of life, in his own cold way. But this, this was different. His flame had become cold when he lost his father, but know that he lost his son, It had gone completely. Unsettling is too mild of a word to describe this transformation. As she walked up to him in the empty throne room, he looked up slowly and spoke, "Parents should not have to outlive their children."
"I know. The Vel'thrank Ceran and Nathaniel have brought the last of the blood they were able to locate, which is most of it."
"Most is not enough. Especially becuase there are still at least 4 more bottles of our son's blood out there."
"Yes well, no one is perfect."
"Were any of the nations we operated in alerted to our presence?"
"Im not sure, I think Nathaniel got into a bar fight in Dawnstar, and possibly somewhere else, but I doubt the local authorities pressed the matter too far."
"It's too bad that the other couple of trails dried up in the east. I would have liked to lay ALL of my son to rest."
"Yes well, lets just hope not too many people become Kif'Do'Threnai."
"I dont know if you heard from Nathaniel, but it turns out there was a single vial of Absalom Blood in one of the shipments we couldnt find. It wasn't on the original manifest, but it was on the one at the second proxy merchant in Arlond, in Kaine."
"Well, lets hope for sure that no one gets a hold of that one, that fate would be far worse for those around someone who used that then just the person dying or becoming Kif'Do'Threnai, no matter how much power they would gain from the blood."
"Indeed. I think im going to Faidel. I need to pray to Azarn, and his Cathedral is there."
"Then go, I've never been able to stop you from traveling just becuase it might kill you before, I don't see why now would be different."
"You're right Zelanna, its not."
_________________ By the will of Azarn -Erastil -King of Pyrencia -The Hydra For a full list of titles, please see enclosed document. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=741
|
